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A whole roasted pork loin on a blue oval platter with halved onions and rosemary scattered around it, and a bowl of grape chutney on the side.
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5 from 1 vote

Roasted Pork Loin

This roasted pork loin is brined and then roasted with onions and rosemary and served with a tangy grape and mustard seed chutney. It's one of our best autumn dinners, whether Sunday night supper or Saturday night entertaining in style.
Prep Time45 minutes
Cook Time1 hour 15 minutes
Total Time1 day
Course: Mains
Cuisine: American
Servings: 8 to 12 servings
Calories: 729

Ingredients

For the roasted pork loin

  • 2 quarts ice cubes
  • 3 cups water
  • 1 cup medium-bodied, dry white wine (such as Chardonnay)
  • 2/3 cup Diamond kosher salt or 1/2 cup Morton’s kosher salt, plus more for seasoning the roast
  • 6 tablespoons granulated sugar
  • 8 black peppercorns
  • 2 tablespoons fennel seeds
  • 12 thyme sprigs
  • 1 inch piece ginger, sliced
  • 4 cloves garlic, smashed
  • One (5 1/2- to 6 1/2-pound) bone-in pork loin*, frenched and tied (the fattier the pork, the better the taste!)
  • 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
  • Freshly ground black pepper
  • 16 cipollini onions, peeled but left whole, or 1 pound (500 g) red or yellow onions, peeled and cut into 1/2 to 3/4-inch (12 to 18-mm) wedges
  • 3 rosemary sprigs, plus leaves for garnish

For the grape and mustard seed chutney

  • 1/3 cup yellow mustard seeds
  • 2 teaspoons mild-flavored oil such as rice bran oil
  • 1/2 cup chopped yellow onion
  • 2 pounds small to medium seedless red grapes
  • 1 cup red verjus, or substitute dry red wine or red wine vinegar, plus a large pinch of granulated sugar
  • 1 star anise pod, crushed and finely ground
  • 1 teaspoon ground coriander
  • 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
  • 1 cup golden raisins
  • 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
US - Metric

Instructions

Make the roasted pork loin

  • Put the ice in a large bowl.
  • In a medium saucepan over medium heat, combine the water, wine, kosher salt, sugar, peppercorns, fennel seeds, thyme, ginger, and garlic and bring to a simmer, stirring to dissolve the salt and sugar.
  • Remove the saucepan from the heat and pour the brine over the ice. Let cool to 45°F (7°C) on an instant-read thermometer. You should have about 8 cups brine.
  • Place the pork loin in a large container, brining bag, or heavy-duty resealable plastic bag. Add the cooled brine, immersing the pork loin completely. Refrigerate for 12 to 24 hours.
  • Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C) convection or 425°F (220°C) conventional. Have ready a shallow roasting pan large enough to fit the pork loin.
  • Remove the pork loin from the brine, discarding the liquid. Set the pork loin, bone side down, in the roasting pan and use paper towels to pat it dry. Let sit at room temperature for 30 minutes.
  • Rub the pork loin with 2 tablespoons olive oil and season all over with 1 to 2 tablespoons kosher salt and a few grinds black pepper. Roast the pork loin for 30 minutes.
  • Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, toss the onions and rosemary sprigs with 1 tablespoon olive oil.
  • Reduce the oven temperature to 350°F (175°C). Add the onions and rosemary to the roasting pan, scattering them around the pork loin. Return the roasting pan to the oven and roast until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the center, away from the bone, registers 137°F (58°C), about 45 minutes more.
  • Remove the roasting pan from the oven, loosely tent with foil, and let the pork loin rest for 20 minutes before carving.

Make the grape and mustard seed chutney

  • In a small, dry skillet over medium heat, toast the mustard seeds, shaking the skillet occasionally, until mustard seeds are slightly toasted, fragrant, and just beginning to pop, about 2 minutes. Remove from heat.
  • In a 4-quart saucepan over medium heat, warm the oil. Add the yellow onion and cook until soft, stirring occasionally, about 3 minutes. Add the grapes, stirring to combine, and cover the saucepan. Cook, stirring often, until the grapes begin to wilt, 10 to 15 minutes.
  • Add the verjus, star anise , coriander, cinnamon, raisins, salt, and the toasted mustard seeds and stir well. Cook, uncovered, over medium heat, until the liquid has reduced and the mixture is thick, 10 to 15 minutes. Remove from heat. Serve the chutney warm or cold. (You can cover and refrigerate the chutney for up to 1 month.)

Serve the pork loin

  • Snip the twine and carve between the bones for individual chops. Serve each chop with some of the pan juices and roasted onions. Garnish with rosemary leaves. Serve, passing the grape and mustard seed chutney separately.

Notes

*What You Need To Know About Choosing A Pork Loin

A boneless pork loin is easy and good and will work fine enough in this recipe if that’s all you can find. That said, a whole bone-in pork loin is just as simple to prepare and yes, really has more depth of flavor than boneless. The bones impart serious flavor to the meat and help it retain moisture as it roasts. And when it comes to drama, well, there’s no contest. The whole roast looks spectacular. And everyone gets their own chop with a bone to gnaw on. Ask your butcher to french and tie the roast for you.

Nutrition

Serving: 1portion | Calories: 729kcal | Carbohydrates: 50g | Protein: 50g | Fat: 39g | Saturated Fat: 11g | Monounsaturated Fat: 19g | Cholesterol: 143mg | Sodium: 271mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 35g